The Angus Reid Institute, a non-profit independent research foundation, recently released a study on what poverty in Canada looks like. The results are definitely something that should be examined.

21% of Canadians not being able to afford dental care, 17% not being able to buy new clothes when needed, and 18% having to buy cheap groceries because they can't afford better quality ones, are just some shocking stats, and there are far more featured in the poll.

One series of stats show that 16% of Canadians are struggling, and 24% of those people have a physical disability.

Saskatchewan Social Services Minister, Paul Merriman, explains how the province is providing extra help to that group of people.

"We're trying to get people that are employable, back into the employment sector. That might be a part-time or a full-time [job], but we're trying to transition our employable clients to a place of employment where that can find not just a job, but more of a career. We don't want them to keep cycling back in and out of the social assistance program; we want them to be able to find some sustainability."

Merriman goes on to add that the results from this year's poll are better than previous years.

"A lot of the previous polls have been around a specific dollar amount, [but] this one was more around a general feeling. It didn't focus on the dollar amount, but more the emotional aspect and how people are feeling about their financial status right now."

The full poll can be viewed at http://angusreid.org/poverty-in-canada/

It has alarming results in it and even more alarming is the fact that those were real people responding to the poll. Aaron Ruston, Financial Expert with Purposed Financial, weighed in on the poll and what it means.

One thing he wants to clear up is the difference between relative and absolute poverty. Relative poverty, what we mainly have in Canada, is based on not being able to afford the average standard of living based on where they live. Absolute poverty is what we usually see in developing countries, where people do not have enough income to meet any basic needs.

Another thing he wanted to state differences between was how some people saw their financial struggles.

"I remember doing workshops a while ago and you know what I find mostly in Canada is we're not necessarily poor, we're broke," Ruston said. "So we have to find that line too between people that truly are in poverty and those that just have never put any type of plans in place to help them move forward."

Those plans, Ruston said, do need us to call upon governments and groups, but it also has to start with ourselves trying to make a change besides asking others to and saying to yourselves you are going to stand up for your fellow person.

Ruston says fixes to change this problem could be a tax reform, but also recognizing those who really need help.

"Something has to happen within our system here to address more of the people that truly have needs," he said. "Those that are maybe, not just cause they don't want to work, but are physically or mentally incapacitated in some way. We see those every day and I really believe we have to step up as a society and help to make a difference."